Advertisement

Moose Jaw Warriors become latest WHL club to have a head coach vacancy

Kelly Friesen

Moose Jaw Warriors general manager Alan Millar is going to spend more time in his office than he originally planned for in July. He is now on the hunt for a head coach with Mike Stothers leaving the organization to become the new bench boss of the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs.

Stothers, 52, spent the last three years behind the Warriors’ bench. He led them to the Eastern Conference final in 2011-12, but missed the playoffs the last two years while the team was going through a rebuild. Moose Jaw’s past season was deemed disappointing because they seemed to have a better on-ice product than their 21-42-3-6 record indicates.

It would be fitting if the Warriors looked down the road to Malcolm Cameron, who was recently let go by the Regina Pats, to replace Stothers. The Pats did it to the Warriors in 2010 when they hired Chad Lang a year after he was fired by Moose Jaw.

Despite getting swept by the Brandon Wheat Kings in the first round, Cameron did an excellent job in his rookie season behind the Pats’ bench. He led the rebuilding club to an East Division title and a 39-26-4-3 record with a high-tempo style of play. He was in the running to be named the Eastern Conference’s Coach of the Year, but was edged out by Medicine Hat Tigers bench boss Shaun Clouston. The only reason he was shown the door was because Regina’s new ownership group, which is led by local businessman Anthony Marquart, wanted to go in a new direction.

Cameron isn't looking to take a year off, either. He made it clear in an interview with BTN shortly after he was fired that he would like to coach next year.

"I have another year left on my deal so that's not a stress financially that I'm worried about right now," the former long-time ECHL head coach said. "But I'm not the kind of person who likes to sit around. For 21 years, playing and coaching, I've had a place to go every August or September. I don't want that to change."

Throwing out Cameron’s name is simply speculation at this point, though. It just seems he would be a good fit in Moose Jaw.

Even though there's roughly only a month and a half left of the offseason, the Warriors joined three other WHL clubs on the search for a new bench boss. The Portland Winterhawks, who lost Mike Johnston to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Giants, who lost Don Hay to the Kamloops Blazers and the Pats are all in the process of hiring a new head coach. In addition, there are rumours swirling that the Edmonton Oil Kings may need a new coach as Derek Laxdal is in the mix to take over the vacancy Willie Desjardins left with the AHL’s Texas Stars when he joined the Vancouver Canucks.

Former assistant coach and interim head coach Travis Green is rumoured to be in the running to become Johnston's successor in Portland; however, there's also speculation he may join Johnston in Pittsburgh. Green led the Winterhawks to a championship when Johnston was suspended for the remainder of the 2012-13 season for player-benefit violations. He left the club last offseason to become the head coach of the AHL’s Utica Comets.

Reports have circulated that Giants GM Scott Bonner has shown interest in Canucks assistant coach Glen Gulutzan and St. John’s IceCaps assistant Mark Morrison. Bonner also reportedly met with Tim Hunter and Jim Hiller at the NHL draft.

There’s been speculation the Giants would be interested in Canuck assistant Glen Gulutzan. Gulutzan was head coach of the Dallas Stars when Willie Desjardins was his assistant. There’s been loads of speculation that Desjardins will look to bring in his own people to help out and Gulutzan won’t be retained by him. (Vancouver Province)

As well, Vancouver’s had an eye on Mark Morrison, an assistant with the AHL’s St. John’s IceCaps. Morrison is a Delta guy who played in the WHL with the Victoria Cougars and also coached the ECHL’s Victoria Salmon Kings.

There is talk that Regina is looking at bringing in Dave Struch and Lorne Molleken, who were let go by the Saskatoon Blades at the end of March, but at this point, it’s believed to be nothing more than a rumour. The Pats will begin interviewing candidates for the opening next week.

At least nine WHL teams will have new head coaches next year. In addition to the Pats, Warriors, Winterhawks, Giants and Blazers, the Calgary Hitmen hired Mark French, the Tri-City Americans brought in former Hitmen coach Mike Williamson, the Blades snagged Bob Woods from the Anaheim Ducks and Dan Lambert has taken over from Ryan Huska, who moved on to the AHL's Adirondack Flames, for the Kelowna Rockets.

Kelly Friesen is a Buzzing the Net columnist for Yahoo! Sports. Follow him on Twitter @KellyFriesen